Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Introduction

Inflammatory bowel disease refers to recurrent inflammation of the GI tract, resulting from an abnormal immune response.

It includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Crohn's disease can impact any area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, and is classified by the specific areas involved. These may occasionally overlap.

Ileocolitis affects the terminal ileum and colon.

Ileitis is confined to the ileum, while Crohn's colitis is limited to the colon.

Gastroduodenal disease involves the stomach and duodenum.

Jejunoileitis affects both the ileum and jejunum, and perianal disease involves tissues around the anus.

Ulcerative colitis is an idiopathic inflammatory condition of the colon and rectum, limited to the mucosa and submucosa.

It typically begins in the rectum and extends proximally in a continuous manner through the colon with various presentation patterns.

Proctitis affects only the rectum, while proctosigmoiditis involves both the rectum and the sigmoid colon.

Left-sided colitis extends to the splenic flexure, and pancolitis involves the entire colon up to the cecum.